My aching back....

[pearlsnaredrummer77]

So I have ruptured (or herniated-can't remember which one) discs, Sciatica (Burning pain from the back through the butt and down the leg) like you can't believe and sometimes have trouble walking or standing. I've had several cortisone shots, that have relieved the pain, but only temporarily. Anyone else having these problems? Any other solutions-did surgery do any good? I've heard mixed reviews regarding the surgery.

Anybody else having this trouble? I would guess I'm not alone. I'm pretty sure it comes from playing tenors for about five years straight all summer long. Started with some mongo "timp-toms" lol, back in hs and finished my career on special gold plated Slingerlands that weighed a ton. Plus back in the day, we didn't have stands, so I wore them all of the time through drum and baton corps, drum corps, and during off season, high school marching band, and college marching band all at 5'10 and about 120. Although I'm playing snare in my profile, I actually only marched snare one year (83).

Anyhow,-anyone with any advice-mutual stories of percocet?

[Storkysr]

Spinal stenosis - early retirement.

40 years of being the shortest snare drummer on the field (or the street).

[donincardona]

i played drums for many years. i have disc problems. sciatic nerv pain just like yours. AND NOTHING HELPS.. surgery may be an option but not for me. i hear about 2 in 10 work. good luck.

[G-horns]

Spinal stenosis - early retirement.

40 years of being the shortest snare drummer on the field (or the street).

So, did the leg rest sit above the knee or below the knee?

[donincardona]

So, did the leg rest sit above the knee or below the knee?

with stork it was on his ankle.

[tymps4life]

Try an inversion table. They use gravity the other way to help. Unless you have one of the contraindications like glaucoma or one of the other things listed, honestly they are great. You do not need to go full inverson for them to work either.

[cabalumnidrummer]

My story:

In September and October of 1997, I began to develop extreme lower back pain, pain in my right hip and leg, and an inability to raise my right lower leg. I thought my marching days were over. I could not climb stairs more that one at a time. Walking without pain, and without dragging my right foot was becoming virtually impossible. Besides playing snare, I occasionally picked up a large bass and heavy Premier quads while teaching various corps and helping out in parades. Most likely, playing the quads in a parade was the 'final straw' for me.

MY local GP recommended a 'spinal specialist' who diagnosed me almost immediately as having a crushed disc between the L1 and L2 vertebrae. An MRI and a visit to a neurologist confirmed this, and he recommended the surgery which I had at the Hospital for Joint Diseases, a division of NYU Medical Center. He removed the ruptured, bulging disc material that was pressing on my spine. He also scraped the arthritic stenosis building up inside the other vertebrae, and used it to fuse the L1 and L2 bones together naturally, without any metal.

The pain was relieved almost immediately, and my recovery was total. One year later, he said the fusion was strong enough, and I was given the okay to carry a drum once again. Dr. Jeffrey Klein made it possible for me to still be marching and playing today, 12 years later. He is now the head of spinal surgery at HJD/NYU. I can only speak for myself when I say that the surgery (though not what I wanted initially!) was the solution for me.

[snare36]

Fearing such long term problems, I wore a back brace when I marched tenors. I was called many colorful names with regard to female anatomy, all in fun, by my corps mates. I'm only 32 now but I hope somehow my stubborn insistence pays off when I get a bit older.

[Storkysr]

My story:

In September and October of 1997, I began to develop extreme lower back pain, pain in my right hip and leg, and an inability to raise my right lower leg. I thought my marching days were over. I could not climb stairs more that one at a time. Walking without pain, and without dragging my right foot was becoming virtually impossible. Besides playing snare, I occasionally picked up a large bass and heavy Premier quads while teaching various corps and helping out in parades. Most likely, playing the quads in a parade was the 'final straw' for me.

MY local GP recommended a 'spinal specialist' who diagnosed me almost immediately as having a crushed disc between the L1 and L2 vertebrae. An MRI and a visit to a neurologist confirmed this, and he recommended the surgery which I had at the Hospital for Joint Diseases, a division of NYU Medical Center. He removed the ruptured, bulging disc material that was pressing on my spine. He also scraped the arthritic stenosis building up inside the other vertebrae, and used it to fuse the L1 and L2 bones together naturally, without any metal.

The pain was relieved almost immediately, and my recovery was total. One year later, he said the fusion was strong enough, and I was given the okay to carry a drum once again. Dr. Jeffrey Klein made it possible for me to still be marching and playing today, 12 years later. He is now the head of spinal surgery at HJD/NYU. I can only speak for myself when I say that the surgery (though not what I wanted initially!) was the solution for me.

Congrats! That is encouraging. Glad to hear you were one of the fortunate ones. I have read many horror stories and the sucess rate is admitedly ~ 50% (or less) I have been putting off the surgery for as long as possible but that time is drawing near.

[cabalumnidrummer]

Thank you, Bill. I don't know if I'm the exception or the rule. All I know is, Dr. Klein was one fantastic doctor and surgeon. At my first visit and examination, he said, "If it's what I think it is, it should be an easy fix, with surgery." This is not what I was expecting or wanted to hear, but he arranged the tests, and left the decision to me. One week after that first visit, I had the surgery. Thank God I did.